TONY PULIS has demanded six points from his Crystal Palace team against their relegation rivals this week and he will summon the cavalry in the January transfer window.

New Palace boss Tony Pulis says wins in the next two home games are crucial [GETTY]

A victory would help us enormously, and six points could set us up before the transfer window opens

Tony Pulis

Pulis believes home matches against West Ham tonight and Cardiff on Saturday will be pivotal in influencing the club’s future in the Premier League.

And he claims that two wins will buy him time before the transfer window opens next month and he can truly set about his against-the-odds survival mission.

Pulis brings abundant enthusiasm and positive thinking to a crusade that will, if successful, be his greatest achievement in football.

And the brisk way he has gone about pumping up rock-bottom Palace could leave an indelible mark on tonight’s derby dogfight.

“A victory would help us enormously, and six points could set us up before the transfer window opens, which will give me an opportunity to do things,” he said.

“I have already been on the telephone trying to see who might be available by the end of this month. So right now our home form is vital. If we were to win both matches this week, it would help create some breathing space.”

Pulis might have to wheel and deal in the market, looking at long-term loans rather than buys. And he knows Palace would attract a greater quality of player if they were clear of the relegation zone and moving upwards come January.

“I haven’t set us a points target, but I am confident we can pull it off,” he said. “By January I will have been in charge for a month and will have a greater idea of what we need.

“I know it will take me a couple of weeks to get my feet under the table but two wins would really help. And I cannot wait to see how the fans react to what we are doing.” Tonight’s match is only the second in which Pulis has been in charge, following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Norwich.

“I know this is not the best time to join a club but I am in an environment that I haven’t created myself, so it is all about improving the team,” he said.

“We are desperate for results to stay in the Premier League. My team have the belief, I don’t doubt that. But what we need is a little break, and a lot could happen if we get one.”

Goalscorers will be high on the Pulis agenda when the window opens, with only seven goals scored all season. And if he can bring in more firepower, it would coincide with the return of striker Glenn Murray, who struck 30 times last season but who has been out for six months with a knee injury.

Andy Carroll is finally returning to training after a constant spate of injuries [GETTY]

“If he came back and scored half the goals he got in the second half of last season then I’d be very happy,” said Pulis.

The old warrior created at his last club, Stoke, one of the most intimidating grounds for any team to visit. Now he wants Selhurst Park to produce the same passion and fever.

“It’s simple,” he said. “I have to get it right. The fans can play a massive part.”

ANDY CARROLL will give West Ham a long-awaited boost this week by returning to training, with Sam Allardyce warning he will have to change his ways and put in extra hours if he is to stay away from the treatment room.

The Hammers manager will take no chances, easing Carroll back after his foot injury. But, ultimately, the responsibility falls on the striker himself to shake off his “injury-prone” tag.

“We think this week he will be back with us and we hope to progress him as quickly as possible back into the squad,” Allardyce said. “But it is my responsibility to tell him when he’s ready – he won’t be telling us.

“We want him playing with longevity in mind.

“He should know by now how important taking care of his body is going to be. It’s critical to the length of his career. He will have to come in a bit earlier and sometimes stay a bit later. If he ignores that, he might get injured again.